Forestry and wildlife Minister Noah Wekesa has openly differed
with a group of Rift Valley MPs opposed to the eviction of people
living in the Mau Escarpment.

Wekesa declared that the law would not be changed to allow illegal
occupation of the forest.

He said that the endangered forest was the source of eleven rivers
serving vital parts of Kenya and the entire East African region
and had to be preserved at all costs. The livelihoods of over four
million people depend on its water.

The Forestry Minister also challenged the leaders to be at the
forefront in sensitizing the people on the need to safeguard the
forest instead of putting their political interests first.

He was speaking in Eldoret East constituency on Sunday.

Ten other legislators at the forum led by Keiyo North MP Lucas
Chepkitony and his Cherangany counterpart Joshua Kuttuny declared
that those who were occupying parts of the Mau Forest had
committed no crime saying the government should first set aside
land for them to settle.